People often ask us why they should invest time and money into a professional tour director/guide training program when they could try to pick up the skills through free mini-course offerings online and on-the-job experience. It’s an understandable question—after all, couldn’t you essentially teach yourself about the local history, attractions, and logistics of being a guide?
While some tour directors/guides undoubtedly prefer self-teaching and trial and error, I always encourage comprehensive training.
Here’s the Why:
Knowing facts and information is only one small part of being a genuinely skilled tour guide or director. Think of all the other abilities involved—public speaking, group management, customer service, handling unexpected issues, negotiating with vendors, and following safety protocols and regulations. A tour guide training program provides structured learning of these essential skills from qualified instructors.
At ITMI, our instructors are seasoned professional tour directors, ready to give back to ensure success by sharing perspectives, strategies, and nuanced cultural insights that take years to pick up through trial and error.
Yes, a professional training course requires an upfront investment of time and money. ITMI’s comprehensive course is 4 – 6 weeks of invested time with an instructor tutoring and guiding you every step of the way. The training continues in resume, cover letter emails, intro videos, and weekly tour director job leads.
Training pays dividends through career opportunities, guest satisfaction that brings you to as much work as you desire, top-tier level pay, and your overall safety and success as a tour director/guide long into the future.
